During excavations at the Odirmon complex in the Kashamir district of Kashkadarya region, archaeologists discovered an altar and an ossuary. According to a report by Dunyo news agency, citing the Spanish digital magazine La Brújula Verde, the findings are preliminarily dated to the period from the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE.
Systematic research of this complex began only this year under the direction of Sanjar Abdurakhimov, a researcher from the Samarkand Archaeological Institute.
In the northeastern part of Odirmon, archaeologists found an altar approximately 70 centimeters high and 90 centimeters wide. Traces of fire and several layers of clay plaster were preserved on the structure, indicating multiple restorations of the building.
Nearby, an ossuary was discovered. This vessel was used to store the bones of a deceased person after the flesh was removed. Its surface is decorated with images that specialists believe depict a deer and an arch, or a Turkestan juniper. The exact meaning of these ornaments will be determined after the completion of restoration work.
The combination of the altar and the ossuary may indicate burial rites associated with Zoroastrian tradition. According to this tradition, the bodies of the deceased were neither buried nor cremated, but the bones were placed in special vessels after the body was cleansed.
Researchers emphasized that although the preliminary dating of Odirmon might document such burial practices several centuries before decorated ossuaries became widespread in Sogdiana and Khorezm, the dating remains preliminary and requires further study.
Work at the complex continues, and archaeologists expect to receive additional data that will help determine the purpose and historical status of Odirmon. According to the Uzbekistan Agency for Cultural Heritage, these discoveries represent a valuable source for studying the religious beliefs and burial practices of the ancient population of the region.
